Has anyone changed the pollen/cabin filter on an s-max please? I have looked at the only instructions I can find anywhere but they are not great. Here is a pic of the center console from the passenger footwell with the panels taken off, but I cannot see where the filter goes. Can anyone point me in the right direction or tell me I am the wrong place entirely?

i cant see it on that pic, but on the focus mk2 the filter is located right next to the fuse box (which needs to be either moved or removed), right at the very back of the footwell going vertically, behind a plastic cover with 3 bolts.

ah ok, thank you, I will have a furtle around in that area and see if I have any luck. Such a blinding idea to put cabin filter in such an easy and obvious place, well done the ford design computer. Has anyone actually changed one of these on an s-max or galaxy mk3?

ON YOUR CAR IT IS HERE

The fresh air flowing into the vehicle through the air inlet housing passes through a pollen filter which is located on the left-hand side of the climate control housing (LHD and RHD) and removes pollen and dust particles measuring 0.003 mm or more.

The pollen filter must be changed at intervals in accordance with the service schedule.

A special production pollen filter is installed in the factory, and this must be cut through when the filter is changed. The service pollen filter is flexible and can be pushed together during installation or removal.

thank you digidash, so where exactly is that then please? can you see it in my picture in the first post or am I in the wrong place? I just can't see where it is located that is the problem. I have yet to try johnH's suggestion about back of the footwell.

pm me your email address and ill send you fords pics, regards steve

update - the pollen filter is indeed at the back of the passenger footwell as JohnH describes - take off the centre console panel at the bottom of the centre console in the footwell, there are 2 clips that you wedge open and pull out. Next take out the liner under the glove box, there are 2 push-on/pull-off black covers over yellow stalks. Next take off the fuse-box, twist the clip 90degrees and lower the fusebox and then pull it off the 2 hinges once lowered, and push it to the left as far as poss. Undo 3x 7mm screws/bolts with a small socket wrench. Pull out old crappy dirty black filter - you can concertina it to get it out of the space. Similarly putting the new one in - it can be concertina'd to fit back in. Pic here of where the cover is - its in the centre of the pic with the regular rectangular cut-outs. Took me about 45mins to get this done once I realised what on earth you're supposed to do.

Just read this topic: thank you Bluemax for the pic and instructions. I need to check our 1 year old Galaxy's pollen filter for damage as we've had mice in the air vents (we caught one in the glovebox!)

if you think changing 1 on an smax is bad,try changing 1 on a mk1/2 galaxy,now that really makes you swear.

Thanx to this topic I managed to change my S-MAX cabin filte. Since I have left hand stearing, filter was on the driver side. Listen up! I had to remove accelerator to change the filter :)

Anyway I have a bigger problem also! It's not the reason I changed the filter, but I have exhaust gases in the cabin. No problem when driving but if parking or waiting the green light with running engine feels like exhaust is directed in the cabin. And now last problem not enough warm coming at air conditioner to heat up cabin normally (outside temp. +5*C). Exhaust problem is more intensive after long rides!

I have 2008 S-MAX 2.0 tdi

Any ideas before going to the service?

Thanx!

there is a video on you tube which shows a smoking engine onthe smax diesel. i have the same problem and a friend had the same - all 2.2 diesels. there is a thread on here but no responses.

my friend had his repaired under warranty. the video I don't know and mine - i ignore! ours was/is oil related.

ford have refused to say they have a design fault funnily enough but i think it is a fairly common problem...

did you get to the bottom of yours?

The exhaust smell could be the injectors leaking past the copper washers. I had this on a 1.8 06 model, smell was awful, I didn't believe the lady to start with. Only leaking on one injector. You have to replace the bolts as well but their cheap enough.

The heating issue could be the thermostat or there is an additional heater module in the heater itself for low temperatures when the water temperature is not hot enough. It's hard to get at and I don't know the price

On 24/05/2011 at 9:44 PM, bluemax said:

update - the pollen filter is indeed at the back of the passenger footwell as JohnH describes - take off the centre console panel at the bottom of the centre console in the footwell, there are 2 clips that you wedge open and pull out. Next take out the liner under the glove box, there are 2 push-on/pull-off black covers over yellow stalks. Next take off the fuse-box, twist the clip 90degrees and lower the fusebox and then pull it off the 2 hinges once lowered, and push it to the left as far as poss. Undo 3x 7mm screws/bolts with a small socket wrench. Pull out old crappy dirty black filter - you can concertina it to get it out of the space. Similarly putting the new one in - it can be concertina'd to fit back in. Pic here of where the cover is - its in the centre of the pic with the regular rectangular cut-outs. Took me about 45mins to get this done once I realised what on earth you're supposed to do.

 

Thank you Bluemax just changed mine not the easiest job in the world and what a place to put this filter 

 

On 24/05/2011 at 9:44 PM, bluemax said:

update - the pollen filter is indeed at the back of the passenger footwell as JohnH describes - take off the centre console panel at the bottom of the centre console in the footwell, there are 2 clips that you wedge open and pull out. Next take out the liner under the glove box, there are 2 push-on/pull-off black covers over yellow stalks. Next take off the fuse-box, twist the clip 90degrees and lower the fusebox and then pull it off the 2 hinges once lowered, and push it to the left as far as poss. Undo 3x 7mm screws/bolts with a small socket wrench. Pull out old crappy dirty black filter - you can concertina it to get it out of the space. Similarly putting the new one in - it can be concertina'd to fit back in. Pic here of where the cover is - its in the centre of the pic with the regular rectangular cut-outs. Took me about 45mins to get this done once I realised what on earth you're supposed to do.